Police Bullets turn focus to CECAFA semifinals after perfect group stage

Kenya Police Bullets celebrate/CHARLENE MALWA

Kenya Police Bullets head coach Beldine Odemba has set her sights on sharpening her attack and maintaining composure as the Kenyan champions shift focus to the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers semifinals after finishing Group 'A' with a perfect record.

Odemba will spend the next three days tightening their finishing and recovery ahead of facing either Tanzania’s JKT Queens or South Sudan’s Yei Joint Stars.

“We created a lot of chances, it’s only that we missed using them. So it’s up to us to use them going forward. We have about three days to prove ourselves. Whoever will come our way, we are ready for them,” she said.

Bullets secured their last-four place with a 2-0 win over Eritrea’s Denden FC in their second Group A match at Nyayo Stadium, Emily Kemunto striking in the seventh minute before Zaina Namuleme doubled the lead in the 33rd minute.

This followed their opening-day 1-0 win over Ugandan champions Kampala Queens, when substitute Emily Moranga scored seconds after coming on in the second half to seal all three points.

Six points from two matches secured the Kenyan champions' safe passage to the semifinals with a game to spare.

Odemba said the semifinal build-up would be about recovery, precision in front of the goal and mental preparation to handle the knockout stage.

The Eritrea side’s head coach, Rezene Gebregiorgis, acknowledged the experience gained at the tournament.

“We are grateful for your receiving us in CECAFA. The tournament was good. We learnt a lot from the first and improved in the second. We plan to do better in the next event. We wanted to be more defensive. We now know what we need to do for the next tournament. We are better after this match,” he said.

In Group C, Tanzania’s Jeshi la Kujenga Nchi (JKT) Queens lead the standings on three points, the same as South Sudan’s Yei Joint Stars, with the two sides meeting on Thursday in a top-of-the-table decider, where Police Bullets lurk in the semifinals.

Zanzibar’s Jeshi la Kujenga Uchumi (JKU) Princesses are already out of contention after two straight defeats. JKT head coach Azishi Kondo vowed to settle for nothing less than the trophy.

“We want the Police because they are the best here, but we are better than them. We know that very well. We believe that we will meet them in the semifinal. If they beat us, we will learn and if we beat them, then they will have to congratulate us,” Kondo said after their win over JKU Princess.

The nine-team CECAFA tournament, which runs until September 16, will determine who represents the region at the CAF Women’s Champions League finals in Egypt later this year.

Bullets are making their second consecutive appearance at the qualifiers, having fallen 1-0 to Ethiopia’s CBE in last year’s final, failing to become the first Kenyan team to qualify since Vihiga Queens in 2021.

Meanwhile, the CECAFA Council saw a leadership transition in Nairobi as outgoing President Augustino Maduot officially handed over to Burundi Football Federation President Alexandre Muyenge, who will serve as Acting President until the elective assembly in 2026.